Gunman on bicycle shoots three men outside West Village deli

A gunman riding a bicycle opened fire outside a West Village deli early Saturday, wounding three men, officials said.

The victims were standing on the the sidewalk outside the High End Deli on 14th St. near 8th Ave. when the gunman pedaled by and began blasting about 3:30 a.m.

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"It sounded like fireworks going off, like 20 fireworks," said neighbor Jillian Blazi, 29. "I was thinking, 'It's Memorial Day weekend, people are probably just celebrating.' Then I woke up at 4 a.m. and saw all the lights flashing out my window. There was like 20 plus police officers out there."

A 41-year-old man was hit five times in the groin, arm and stomach, officials said. A second man, 42, was shot in the stomach as a third man, also 41, was hit in the chest, police said.

Police secure the area and collect evidence on W. 14th St. near 8th Ave. early Saturday after a bike-riding gunman shot three people standing outside a deli. (Marc A. Hermann for New York Daily News)

A man driving a black SUV took two of the men to Bellevue Hospital, but then drove off before he could be questioned by hospital personnel.

The man shot in the chest was found sprawled out in front of the deli before medics rushed him to Bellevue Hospital.

All three victims are expected to survive, police said. Their names were not immediately disclosed.

The three victims are all in stable condition after sustaining gunshot wounds. (Marc A. Hermann for New York Daily News)

Cops closed off 14th St. between Eighth and Ninth Aves. as they investigated. Some blood-smeared clothing, a man's shoe and a cellphone was found spread out across the crime scene. The cellphone continued to ring all morning.

Six .9-mm shell casings were recovered by investigators.

"I probably heard 10 or so (shots)," Blazi said. "I thought it sounded like there were two people doing the fireworks."